Can someone please confirm this bug (blending mode & anchored objects)?

Question

I ran into what I believe is a bug just now, but would like confirmation.

(1) Create text box and add a stroke (add inset or other formatting to make it look nicer if you like).

(2) Insert text as well as an anchored object into that text.

(3) Change the blend mode of the stroke of the text box.

For me, in InDesign 2015.4 on a Mac, the anchored object is given the blending mode of the stroke as well. I would expect that to only affect the stroke, and none of the content within the box. The anchored graphic I'm inserting doesn't even have a stroke. I tried this in a new file with different content and got the same result.

I'm hoping that I'm missing something obvious. I'd like to keep this with everything in neat, single, self-contained, and auto-fitting boxes. The effect I'd like is for the stroke of the text box only to blend (multiply) with a background.

The workaround I'm considering is doing the stroke as an outer glow instead, but I'll have rounded corners.

Thanks,

Rich

amaarora · Accepted Answer

You're right anchoring rather than inlining or above lining does present the problem with CC 2017 on a Mac. It's either a bug or somebody thought that they liked it better this way. Either way if inlining the object is possible for what you have to do then at least there is a workaround. If you have to anchor then the method shown in my original post could work.

Hi,

I can confirm that the issue is occurring on both Win and Mac right from CS6 to CC 2017.1 (latest)

I suggest you file the issue as a bug here Wishform - Adobe InDesign

Thanks for noticing this behavior!

-Aman

Bill Silbert · Answer

I followed your direction and created a shape with a stoke (5 point cyan) a fill of magenta and yellow text and a yellow anchored box:

I then applied the Multiply blending mode to the selected shape and it blended as you said it would:

Clearly, the blending modes are designed to affect entire shapes and their contents. Since the anchored shape becomes part of the text when it is anchored—in this case inline—it gets blended in the same way as the yellow text did. My suggestion for a work around would be to make a separate stroke placed above the shape, remove the stroke from the shape and apply the blending mode just to the stroke as in the screen shot below:

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